Friday, January 6, 2012

Full of Beans

Funny how your identity can get so wrapped up in a name. I was born Lucy, named for my grandmother Lucille, and have endured every Lucy joke imaginable. “Aw, Ricky” is a standard remark when I’m introduced to new people, which is much better than lame jokes revolving around Charlie Brown. It’s taken me awhile to feel comfortable in my name; although it is a perfectly lovely name (it means “light”), it just seems to come from a different era. And I guess it did – the grandmother for whom I was named was born in the 19th century.

All this doesn’t really explain why for Halloween last year I dressed up as Lucille Ball for my daughter’s school’s Pumpkin Festival. I’m not so much into costumes, but a few years ago, gave into my daughter’s pleadings and purchased a "Lucy" costume, complete with red wig and navy and white polka dot dress. It remained in the closet for five years, until the Fabulous 50’s themed Fall Festival and the parents’ costume contest. I pulled the costume out the closet and tried it on – one baby later, and it still fit fine, miracle of miracles.

Lucy as Lucy. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

The event was a Trunk or Treat, where we decorated our minivan with garish and ghoulish decorations and gave away candy to trick or treating students. They all called me “Lucy” – people I didn’t even know calling me by my name. Imagine my surprise when I won the award for Best Parent Costume.

That was last year, and this year, I decided to give the costume a break and enter the chili cook-off instead. Trying to carve out a crowd-pleasing niche, I settled on a vegetarian chili, full of beans and spice to remind you of what chili is all about. Chili is a meat-centric dish, and it takes a lot of tricks to compensate for the missing beef. This chili has an Emeril-worthy kick in the kisser, and it’s loaded with texture and flavor from the beans.

I like my chili with a side of cornbread and a sprinkle of rat-trap cheddar. If the markets have particularly luscious-looking avocadoes, I’ll use the chili as an excuse to make my minimalist guac and spoon a dollop in the bowl of beans.

5 comments:

LOVE that picture and that chili looks delicious! For Halloween next year, I want to see a picture of you dressed as Lucy, re-enacting that famous grape-stomping/wine-making episode! That's my favorite...x